


Change

by Icypearls



Series: i'm dating an alien [5]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Drama, F/F, mysterypearl - Freeform, this started out sorta light hearted and then idk what happened sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 21:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9203627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icypearls/pseuds/Icypearls
Summary: Mystery Girl changes the color of her hair. Pearl reacts.





	

Sheena stared at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair, absently toying with the ring on her tongue. With a deep breath, she nodded to herself and left her apartment, locking the door behind her.  
\---  
She cut the motor to her bike and walked up the steps to Pearl’s house. No, Steven’s room? She couldn’t really wrap her mind around how a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom could be considered a little boys room, but she wasn’t going to question it. It was probably the least strange thing she had discovered since fully accepting that her girlfriend was from outer space. She heard singing from inside the house, in what she recognized as Pearl’s voice. 

She stood by the screen door, watching as Pearl sang and danced. She had a cloth in her hand as she whipped off various surfaces, but that only seemed to add grace to her movements. She twirled, standing on the very tip of her toes. She bent low, picking up a stray shirt, and turned it into a small leap. And her voice. Sheena had never heard Pearl sing before, but she had an amazing set of pipes! Or…well, Sheena could listen to her sing all day, at any rate. 

During a swell in the song Pearl paused, her eyes closed and her hand reaching longingly for the ceiling. Her eyes opened and she saw Sheena, immediately stopping. With a huge grin, Sheena smiled and waved, opening the door and stepping in. “You’re freaking astounding; did you know that?” 

Pearl still hadn’t moved. Her eyes were trained on Sheena, who’s smile was slipping. “Um, babe?” Sheena walked over to Pearl, putting her hands on Pearl’s shoulders. “Are you alright?”

“Yo-Your hair,” Pearl said, faintly. She reached up, delicately touching the pale blue locks. “What happened?” 

Sheena was surprised at how frightened Pearl sounded. “I just wanted to change it. What do you think?” She started playing with her lip ring again, watching Pearl closely. 

The hand that had been softly playing with the ends now drifted away. Pearl held her hands close to her chest. “I forget you’re human sometimes.” She smiled, her eyes drifting from Sheena’s hair to her face. “It’s lovely. It makes your eyes more vibrant, and it looks like the sky on the perfect sunny day.”

Sheena felt her mouth fall open. “I don’t know how you say the corniest stuff and make it sound so perfect.” She stepped forward. “And I am one hundred percent, certified human. Are you sure you still like it?”

“Yes, of course.” Pearl nodded. 

Sheena shifted from one foot to the other. “Okay. I was afraid that, you know, once I changed it, you might…” She swallowed, looking down and chuckling. “I thought maybe the hair was a deal braker?”

Pearl’s feet appeared in her line of vision just a second before she felt hands on her cheeks. “Sheena.” She raised her eyes to meet Pearl’s gaze. “I’m sorry you felt that way. I…perhaps…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I will admit, your hair was part of what drew my attention to you. Of course it was.” Her eyes glanced briefly at the portrait of Rose above the door before returning to Sheena. “I wouldn’t have stayed with you for as long as I have just for your hair.” Sheena started to smile, relaxing some as Pearl spoke, breathing more easily. “I love you for you, Sheena.” 

Sheena started giggling, pulling Pearl into a hug. “Thanks, Pearl.”

Pearl wrapped her arms around Sheena, her hands reaching up and playing with the ends of the blue strands of hair. 

The warp pad activated, capturing their attention. Garnet stepped off, a basket of laundry in her hand. “This is done.”

“Oh, good. I haven’t quite finished cleaning in here.” Pearl glanced around with a sigh. “No matter, I can do it later.”

Sheena looked around as well. The house was as clean as it normally was, which is to say, up to Pearl’s normal standards. She still remembered the chore wheel, with chores for everyone, except all names were crossed out and Pearl’s written in, in her elegant hand writing. She looked back at her girlfriend, wondering if everything she did was graceful.

“Hey, Garnet, have you seen Pearl dance? Dance for me, Pearl!” The immediate change in both Pearl and Garnet made her regret saying that. Pearl, her back to Sheena, was tensed, her shoulders hunched, and she had stopped walking mid-step. Garnet looked from Sheena to Pearl and back before shaking her head. “I mean, only if you want to. What…what is it?”

It was as if Pearl visibly deflated. “It’s nothing.”

“Pearl.” Garnet looked at her, though Sheena couldn’t tell much more than a downturned mouth with the glasses covering her expression.

With a sigh, Pearl turned to Sheena. “It’s…still a sore spot, I suppose. Recent events doesn’t help, really. Stupid a…no, no, it’s all okay now.” She looked up at Sheena. “We should sit down.” 

Sheena sat, taking Pearl’s hand. She stayed silent, allowing Pearl to gather herself enough to talk about whatever the weird dance thing was. 

“I didn’t actually want to talk about this for…a while longer. Or ever.” Pearl chuckled uncomfortably. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and took her hand back. “On Homeworld, we have a rigid class system, all determined by what type of gem you are. The Diamonds are the rulers. Amethysts are soldiers or bodyguards, Jaspers are used as fighters, Rose Quartz were intended to be Generals. Pearls are…servants. We store things for our owners, or clean, or keep up with important times and dates and artifacts, or…provide beauty and entertainment.” Pearl clenched her fists. “Dance for me, pearl, sing for me, pearl. You belong to me; you’ll do as I say or I’ll shatter you. You’re just a pearl.” She refused to meet Sheena’s gaze. “It’s not something I’m proud of.”

Sheena had never felt ice pumping through her veins like she did right now. “You were a slave?” 

“A servant.”

“A servant? It sounds like you had no choice.” Sheena balled her hands into fists. 

Pearl looked over to Sheena, shaking her head. “Every gem is made with a purpose. Every gem has its place.” 

“I’m so glad you aren’t there anymore,” Sheena said. She reached out and touched Pearl’s cheek, which Pearl leaned into. The room was silent for a while as Sheena took in what Pearl had told her. She had been getting small parts of Pearl’s history, but this seemed to be something that Pearl was ashamed of. “I’ll never give you and order for anything. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said. She smiled at Sheena. “It isn’t orders. I took them from Rose, I…I can take orders. It was…was more the command itself.”

Sheena clasped her hand in Pearl’s, looking over to Garnet. “So, if every gem has a job, what did Garnet’s do?” 

Garnet turned her head slightly, looking directly at Sheena.

“No.”


End file.
